Good to Know

Genetic personality testing allows your behavioural characteristics to be predicted using a DNA analysis. This requires a saliva sample from the person who’s DNA will be tested.

On purchasing, the provider will send you a testing kit with everything you need to take the sample. You can take the sample at home and after you send the kit back, you’ll receive your results a few weeks later. Once you get your results you can see which personality traits you’re genetically predisposed to exhibiting.

Which personality traits are genetically determined?
There are many behavioural characteristics that studies have shown can be attributed to your DNA. Genetic personality tests can tell you how spontaneous you’re likely to be, how decisive, social, emotional, risk averse, and many more.

How does it work?
Most providers base their science on the studies published in peer-reviewed journals. The electronic library for science (PubMed) has thousands of such studies which relate DNA to behaviour – this is a key resource for genetic personality testing companies.

Providers can extract the necessary information from your DNA, and report on your genetic predisposition to behavioural characteristics using these resources.

What are the benefits of a genetic personality test?
There are several reasons why you might want to know which behavioural characteristics you’re genetically predisposed to exhibiting:

- Get to know yourself. Do you behave in a certain way because of the genes you’ve inherited from your parents? Which behaviours have you learned to exhibit?

- Romance. What sort of person are you best suited to? Should you look for partners who complement your personality traits?

- Financial aptitude. Should you be mindful of certain aspects of your personality when making big decisions?

Are all personality traits genetically determined?
No, every aspect of your personality has been influenced by your experiences and environment to some extent. Some behavioural characteristics are more linked to your DNA than others, and these are the traits that genetic personality testing companies will report on.